World leaders were traveling to Egypt to participate in the annual conference Meeting about climate crisis in policeman 27. The concentration This year is how rich countries should compensate developing countries for the role they have played in accelerating climate change, leading to extreme weather events.
It is understandable why so much attention has been paid to the physical impact of the climate crisis, such as floods, wildfires, hurricanes and droughts. But this ignores the impact of the crisis on individuals and the population Psychological health.
Welcome Trust recently released a file Report Determine what we already know about the way extreme weather affects people’s mental health. This ranges from young people’s anxiety about their future – which many consider bleak – to the grief of losing loved ones; Like weather conditions like recent floods in pakistan take their price.
As the planet warms, the impact on mental – as well as physical – health is not evenly distributed. Heat waves are known to increase the suicide rate in the affected areas. Likewise, hospital admissions due to mental health issues also rise during heat waves.
We still don’t fully understand why an increase in temperature leads to a rise in mental health problems. However, we an act Know that a high temperature, for example, can make it difficult to fall asleep. Also, some medications used to treat mental health issues interfere with the regulation of body temperature.
While some recover over time from the heat stimulus, many will not. As a result, this reduces employment opportunities, self-sufficiency and building supportive networks – as well as important relationships.
In this sense, the effects of the climate crisis triggered a chain of events that began with the deterioration of mental health – but extended to the broader social determinants of health; Such as unemployment, financial instability and the disruption of important social networks.
There are also some more subtle (or at least not obvious) ways that environmental change affects mental health. A changing climate is responsible for the introduction of infectious diseases such as malaria in some parts of the world.
Having disease and living with the effects also leads to poor mental health in part because of the stigma attached to these conditions. Even if individuals are not stigmatized – being hospitalized and then living with the consequences of illness creates life-altering conditions.
Of particular concern about the increased risk of developing a mental health problem due to the climate is the ability of the affected country to support and provide specialized mental health treatment to its residents. Many developing countries do not have the health infrastructure to respond effectively to the rapidly increasing need for mental health treatment in hospitals or the community. These countries often have small mental health budgets that have historically not been a priority when faced with threats such as drought or famine.
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Although it may be tempting to think that money will solve the problem, it is unlikely – especially without workforce training and provision of related facilities (such as hospitals and outpatient departments). It may take years before the services are in place and accessible to those who need them.
While we may like to think we have progressive views of mental health, the absence of discussion and planning at meetings like Cop27 about the way the climate crisis is affecting us suggests that we have a lot to do.
Raising awareness of the issue is an important first step – but meaningless for those in psychological distress who have little hope of getting support and treatment.
At the very least, world leaders must commit to a plan to establish mental health services in the countries suffering the greatest impacts of the climate crisis.
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